Problem Of Food Scarcity Research Articles

Nanocomposites based Aquaponic Cropping System Design and Control for Agriculture Industry

Aquaponics is the practice of growing plants without soil, and it combines hydroponics (growing plants in water) and recirculating aquaculture (raising fish) systems. Some of the water’s nutrients are lost during the recirculation process in an aquaculture system, but the plants in the system are able to clean the water by absorbing the nutrients. The increasing problem of food scarcity has prompted more creative approaches to urban farming. Aquaponics is a type of hydroponics that can be used to grow plants in an urban environment. However, in order to grow plants, a smart aquaponic system requires close monitoring, mechanization, and management. Implementing vision-based systems that incorporate algorithms that make use of machine learning to boost agricultural output is one promising way to put this theory into practice. To do this, we analyzed how well the approximations of Logistic Regression (LR), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Linear Support Vector Machine (L-SVM) performed. To do this, we used computer vision to extract features from images of celery grown in a computer-controlled aquaponics system and used those images as training data for the algorithms. In order to teach the algorithms, these pictures were taken. The backup systems and cross-validation checks for each method have been improved. CNN was shown to be the most successful method

A review on soilless cultivation: The hope of urban agriculture

The cultivation of plants without using soil as a rooting medium is known as soilless farming. Depending on the requirement and type of crop, there are several soilless systems, including hydroponic, aeroponic, vertical farming, and others. The rate at which megacities are growing is worrying. As a result, urban agriculture needs to undergo a revolution in order to address the problem of food scarcity and hunger. These significant quantitative and qualitative food concerns can be solved by soilless farming in urban environments. In greenhouses and tunnels, about 3.5% of the world's crops are produced utilizing soilless, hydroponic farming methods. People who reside in deserts, the arctic, and other difficult-to-farm places can build up hydroponic farms. Since there is no soil, there are fewer insects and weeds. Vegetables, fruits, flowers, and medicinal plants are among the crops grown in soilless or hydroponic systems. Growth media is used in soilless culture methods in place of soil. As growth media, inorganic or organic substrates (barks, coconut coir, coconut soil, fleece, marc, peat) are used. Aquaponics in Nepal has a promising future because it is still in its early phases and is expected to thrive and expand well. As a result, a variety of crops are produced year, increasing income. Soilless cultures are thought of as a recently found approach to agricultural development, yet they are extremely difficult to put into practice.

Effect of Consumption Value on Consumer Willingness to Consume GM Food: A Post-COVID-19 Analysis.

In this research, we debate the critical challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic such as food scarcity, by examining the influence of consumption values on consumers’ willingness to consume genetically modified (GM) food in the presence of consumer food attitudes, animosity, and ethnocentrism, which could be the one possible option to deal with the food scarcity problem. The proposed relationship could help to understand the complex societal problem of food scarcity and import dependency in the food sector before and after the crisis. Therefore, based on the theory of consumption values, we investigated government actions, consumer attitudes, and their willingness to consume GM food through 1340 valid USA responses and 1065 Chinese responses. We observed that COVID-19 doubled the number of malnourished people in 2020 relative to 2019, while consumption values, to some extent, changed consumer food attitudes and were inclined toward other food alternatives such as GM food regardless of governmental support for GM food in both USA and China. Moreover, this research enables governments, policymakers, market practitioners, and other stakeholders to use the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to negotiate with other countries to share their food technology along with imports.

More than the usual suspect: diversity of pollinators of chayote (Sechium edule) at high elevations in Chiapas, Mexico

Crops that offer multiple types of value, for example, in terms of economy, culture, and health, frequently lack information on the basic ecological interactions that play a significant role in their persistence. Chayote (Sechium edule, Cucurbitaceae), a widespread squash valued for its nutritious fruit, is one example. We aimed at describing the assemblage of flower visitors to this crop at 2400 m where stingless bees, reported as the main pollinators, are naturally absent. We implemented flower exclusions, performed field observations, and inspection of pollen loads of captured visitors to be able to draw distinctions between primary and secondary pollinators. We recorded a total of 60 species or morphospecies of insects visiting the flowers. Bees, wasps, and flies, present in all sites and consistently carrying abundant pollen, are the main pollinators of S. edule at high altitudes. Our study adds to the building evidence of the fundamental role that native bees and wasps play as crop pollinators in subsistence farming. Basic ecological knowledge is essential to inform agricultural management policies and to foresee preventable food scarcity problems, especially in view of climate change scenarios that predict drastic alterations in plant geographical distributions.

Desert locust invasion in Nepal and possible management strategies: A review

Desert locusts are the harmful pests that feed on every edible substance available on their way. One single mature locust can consume crops equal to its weight. In present condition where various world nations are struggling with the problem of food scarcity, this desert locust invasion has emerged as a considerable setback in achieving the universal goal of food security. Frequent outbreaks have led to tremendous environmental and economic losses. So, different control strategies are introduced in local as well as international level to deal with this dreadful issue. Desert locusts were observed in 55 districts of Nepal causing minimal crop damage compared to the past crop losses in Nepal in 2020. However, for the efficient way of mitigation of desert locust, farmers in developing nation like Nepal have to heavily rely on fast-acting chemicals that deliver rapid results but fail to maintain environmental integrity. A technical taskforce was formed in 26 th May 2020, a month before the entry of desert locust in Nepal from India to prevent the possible crop loss. The government of Lumbini Province, Nepal had declared to buy locusts at Rs. 20 per kg so as to encourage the people for their collection. Approaches based on IPM (Integrated Pest Management) that emphasize on effective incorporation of chemical and biological insecticides with prediction and monitoring technologies have been prompted against desert locust. Recent experimental studies and researches are prioritizing on discovering potential solutions through financial coordination from governmental and non-governmental bodies. After reviewing articles from various journals, magazines and proceedings, the authors have highlighted the loss in the agricultural sector due to desert locust attack along with its advanced control and management options. The control and mitigation strategies mentioned in this article would be a useful resource for farmers as well as researchers on assessing this problem. • An overview on outbreak and recession of the desert locust in Nepal are described clearly. • Food losses in different parts of the world are shown. • The effective and possible management strategies of desert locust for Nepal are explained.

ДИНАМИКА ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ РОССИИ

The problem of food security has become an important concern for the whole world. The problem of food scarcity clearly indicates that the world does not have enough of the necessary resources to feed people. This problem is further compounded by factors such as the effects of climate change, an unstable global economy, low agricultural production, increasing poverty and unstable food prices. Thus, these factors have set new challenges for the world in the production and continuous supply of basic food to the population. The purpose of the study is to study the level of food security as the most important condition for improving the quality of life of the population.

Role of Underutilized and Neglected Plant Species to Assure Food Security in Chepang Community

Underutilized and neglected plant species have high nutritional value, but those in higher demand have overshadowed them; their role in achieving food security is not adequately understood. Food security is a critical issue in the context of the Chepang community that possesses immense knowledge on underutilized and neglected plant species and has been exploiting these crops traditionally from the very beginning. The survey was conducted with the objective of studying and investigating the use of these plant species in that community and accessing the role of them in assuring their food security. Siddhi VDC in Chitwan district was purposively selected as the study site. A total of 32 households were randomly chosen for the household survey conducted using a semi-structured interview structure. Relevant information was also collected through key informants’ interview. It was found that the food was unavailable for 3.2 months. Out of the total population, 75% of people exploit underutilized and neglected plant species to cope with the problem of food scarcity when the stored food grains are depleted, and new harvests are not available. Among them, 25% entirely depends on underutilized and neglected plant species, whereas remaining cope with the situation either by buying the food supplies from the market or by exchanging following barter system. The data obtained show that 84.4% of people depend on the thicket as a significant source of underutilized and neglected plant species. These plant species can play a vital role to transcend the unsecured food world into a secure world. Thus, there is a need to exploit the potential of these plant species to complement the staple crops so that the food security of the Chepang community can be improved.

Relevansi Teori Scarcity Robert Malthus Dalam Perspektif Ekonomi Syariah

Purpose-The purpose of this study is to examine the problem of scarcity related to the theory proposed by Robert Malthus and its relevance today. As well as how Islam views the nature of scarcity. 
 Methods- This research is classified as library research, where the collection of library materials that are relevant to the research topic is the main strength of this research. In addition, this research can be categorized in the study of character studies, namely a systematic and critical study of Robert Malthus's economic thinking related to the theory of scarcity. 
 Findings- In Islamic economics, if we return to the problem of food scarcity that Malthus argues is caused by the explosion of the population that is not illuminated with the amount of food in the world, then in essence, Allah SWT has bestowed nature and its contents to meet human needs. Every human being already has a part of their respective benefits, so there can be no shortage in terms of food-related to the increase in population that occurs. 
 Implications- Ideally, Malthus's theory reminds us that population growth must still pay attention to environmental sustainability, meaning that it must be adjusted to the carrying capacity and environmental capacity.

Conventional and Molecular Techniques from Simple Breeding to Speed Breeding in Crop Plants: Recent Advances and Future Outlook.

In most crop breeding programs, the rate of yield increment is insufficient to cope with the increased food demand caused by a rapidly expanding global population. In plant breeding, the development of improved crop varieties is limited by the very long crop duration. Given the many phases of crossing, selection, and testing involved in the production of new plant varieties, it can take one or two decades to create a new cultivar. One possible way of alleviating food scarcity problems and increasing food security is to develop improved plant varieties rapidly. Traditional farming methods practiced since quite some time have decreased the genetic variability of crops. To improve agronomic traits associated with yield, quality, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses in crop plants, several conventional and molecular approaches have been used, including genetic selection, mutagenic breeding, somaclonal variations, whole-genome sequence-based approaches, physical maps, and functional genomic tools. However, recent advances in genome editing technology using programmable nucleases, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins have opened the door to a new plant breeding era. Therefore, to increase the efficiency of crop breeding, plant breeders and researchers around the world are using novel strategies such as speed breeding, genome editing tools, and high-throughput phenotyping. In this review, we summarize recent findings on several aspects of crop breeding to describe the evolution of plant breeding practices, from traditional to modern speed breeding combined with genome editing tools, which aim to produce crop generations with desired traits annually.

Recent advances in genetic manipulation of crops: A promising approach to address the global food and industrial applications

Continuous increase in world’s population demands high food production, which has become a major challenge to the humanity. When there is sufficient amount of nutritious food to all the people there will be no problem of food scarcity. So, to increase the food production, many countries are adopting strategies of genetic engineering to enhance the crop yield. Recombinant DNA technology can be a viable source to develop genetically modified crops with enhanced resistance and improved yields to fight against malnutrition and food scarcity. With this technology, selected traits can be inserted into the plant genome, unlike traditional plant breeding, where many characters of two different crops will be combined which may lead to genetic modification at an extensive level. Present review focuses on the methods of plant transformation and outlines the scope of genetic transformation for improved crop production by transferring selected genes for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. In addition, current study also provides information about various genetically modified crops produced worldwide and their commercialization towards various biotechnological products like GM livestock, GM microorganisms, vaccines and industrial products like bio-plastic produced from the transgenic plants.

Corporate social entrepreneurship initiatives against food waste – The case of Lidl in Romania

Abstract Food waste is one of the major global sustainability issues which, in the last few decades, has come to the attention of numerous organizations which have implemented strategies aimed either at preventing food waste, recovering the food and reusing it for human consumption or ensuring that the food unfit for human consumption is recycled into compost, animal feed etc. Previous studies have highlighted that major retailers share a large portion of the responsibility for combating food waste and that they are particularly well-positioned to contribute with a solution to this issue. Thus, the study explores the ways in which food chain responsibility can be incorporated into the overall strategy of large chain retailers through the theoretical framework of corporate social entrepreneurship. Lidl’s initiative against food waste in Romania provides the background for the discussion of the means through which the resources owned by these chain retailers can be mobilized in order to help increase the amount of food that is recovered and reused for alleviating the problem of food scarcity among disadvantaged groups. The study highlights the aspects that are necessary for a successful corporate social entrepreneurship initiative aimed at reducing food waste: a) a clear articulation of the problem and solution; b) the mobilization of actors from the civil society; c) continuous investment; and d) the alignment of the scaling up strategy of the initiative with the retailer’s resources. The study concludes that a food waste program based on the principles of corporate social entrepreneurship can generate a sustainable competitive advantage for retailers.

SALINITY STRESS TOLERANCE OF THREE COWPEA CULTIVARS IN A SOUTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

To combat the problem of food scarcity and insecurity in areas affected by salinity, crop varieties that are tolerant to the stressful conditions should be selected and used. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate and know the effects of salinity stress on growth and yield of three cowpea cultivars to select the best salinity tolerant cultivar for optimum yield production. To achieve this, three separate experiments were concurrently carried out using ITIOK-298-15, IFE BROWN and SAMPEA 11 cowpea cultivars in the glass house of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. The salinity levels tested in each of the cultivars were 0mM (the control), 50mM, 100mM and 200mM sodium chloride (NaCl). The imposition of salinity stress was for a period of two weeks at maturity because this stage is the most sensitive stage for any crop grown under any environmental stress. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. Data collection was centred on root length, plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, dry mass, final yield, chlorophyll content of leaves, crude protein and crude fat contents. From this work, it was found that 200mM NaCl decreased the final yield by 51% in ITIOK-298-15, 73% in IFE BROWN and 100% in SAMPEA-11 compared to the control. Furthermore, 100mM NaCl reduced crude protein contents of the leaves by 6% in ITIOK-298-15, 10% in IFE BROWN and 17% in SAMPEA-11 compared to the control. From the above results, it was found that ITIOK-298-15 was the most tolerant cultivar while SAMPEA-11 was the most susceptible cultivar to salinity stress. It is, therefore, recommended (subject to further confirmation) that ITIOK-298-15 cultivar, which is the most promising cultivar of the three cultivars experimented, be used in cowpea production in saline environments of the Southern Guinea savannah ecological areas of Nigeria.

Root crops agroforestry for greening the sustainability of green revolution

Green revolution started at mid of twentieth century was the answer of anxiousness reminded by Malthusian that food scarcity problems in relation with population growth. In concurrence with exploitation of fossil fuel for agriculture mechanization as well as agrochemicals in the form of inorganic fertilizer and pesticide, green revolution by introducing high yielding varieties of cereals and grains was able to nourish the world population by increasing productivity. Indeed, from beginning of mechanization with fossil fuel based as advised by Rudolf Diesel then Arrhenius would be affected to the release of CO2 to the atmosphere and consequently exaggerating climate change as suffered by current and future generations. Under green revolution based on cereals and grains affected forest conversion into open agricultural land, because both commodities are sun-loving crops, which are hate to the shade. On the other hand, to slow the severity of climate change natural forest must be conserved tightly. Entering third millennium demand of food production with ecologically friendly is stronger. Hence, green revolution needs to be amended into greener perspectives. Thus, implementation of agro-forestry into wide range of agro-ecological zone is urgently innovated. Fortunately, shade tolerant of root crops has significant advantage to be developed under agro-forestry. Under shade of forest canopy at basal forest strata, root crops are able to sequester CO2 to be converted into carbohydrate and other compounds to provide food for the dweller. Back to nature is not only a slogan, with root crops under agro-forestry is a reality; fresh root up to 30 t ha-1 can be harvested yearly as the source of food and renewable fuel as well. This potential is very worthy to improve and greening the existing green revolution to be more sustainable.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 26-37, June, 2018

The Facile Modification of Polyacrylate Emulsion via Hexadecane to Enhance Controlled-release Profiles of Coated Urea

Development of controlled-release urea (CRU) has attracted research attention because of food scarcity problems and environmental concerns. To slow down the nutrient release of CRU coated with waterborne polyacrylate, conventional emulsion polymerization (CEP), conventional emulsion polymerization containing hexadecane (CEP + HD), and miniemulsion polymerization (MP) were carried out to discern the influence of polymerization technique and hexadecane on the properties of emulsions, films, and on the resultant nutrient release profiles of controlled-release urea. The addition of hexadecane improved water resistance, decreased the glass-transition temperature, and slowed down the nutrient release. CEP + HD was superior to MP in retarding nutrient release since the majority of HD was distributed in the exteriors of the particles of the former and interiors of the particles of the latter. Exterior HD improved water resistance more effectively, while interior HD reduced glass-transition temperature more significantly. Overall, our findings showed that incorporation of HD into polyacrylate emulsion produces excellent coatings that delay the release of urea. It has great potential application in controlled-release fertilizers coated with waterborne polymers.

Biomimetic Superhydrophobic Biobased Polyurethane-Coated Fertilizer with Atmosphere "Outerwear".

The development of efficient biobased controlled-release fertilizers has captured much research attention because of the environmental concerns and food scarcity problems. In this work, a biomimetic superhydrophobic biobased polyurethane-coated fertilizer (SBPF) was successfully fabricated by increasing surface roughness and reducing surface energy of polyurethane (PU) coating. The green PU coating was synthesized from low-cost, biodegradable, and renewable cottonseed oil. The nutrient release longevity of SBPF revealed 2-fold enhancement compared with the normal biobased PU-coated fertilizer (BPF). The significant improvement of nutrient release characteristics can be attributed to the atmosphere "outerwear" which ensured the nonwetting contact of water with superhydrophobic surfaces in gas state instead of in liquid state. The new concept introduced in this study can inform the development of the next generation of biobased controlled release fertilizers.

Millet Grain Processing, Utilization and Its Role in Health Promotion: A Review

The enormously increasing population is raising needs for solving the problem of food scarcity. Researchers and nutritionists are working hard to find the cheaper and larger sources of nutrients to deal with this scarcity. Pearl millet, a staple crop is economically feasible for poorer section of the world’s population and works are going on for the improvement in the bio-accessibility of the minerals for increasing its utilization. Researches are proving pearl millet comparably better in nutritional quality with high protein content, energy, minerals like iron and zinc, vitamins, dietary fibre, less glycemic index and phytochemicals like antioxidants. New advanced techniques applied for post-harvest technology and value addition are giving out more products of wide acceptance in rural as well as urban areas. In relation with the nutritional quality, convenience of food uptake and other sensory properties, many food processing technologies have been developed. These techniques are widely used now-a-days and are milling, decortication, soaking, germination/malting, fermentation etc. These processes increase the nutritional value and are very effective in dealing with undernourishment problem and other food and health management practices. A large scale implementation of these technologies or commercialized use will increase the ease of adopting their products at wide scale. This type of commercialization will not only deal with the undernourishment problem but also will earn great profits for all the persons in chain from producer like farmers to the consumers but will require policy-support and campaign for health, ecological sustainability and nutritional benefits of the crop. So this review focusses on pearl millet’s high nutritional aspects, the post-harvest techniques potent for its improvement at large scale and the related health benefits to support the need at rural as well as urban level.

Water: The One Crisis That Also Represents the Biggest Opportunity for a Middle East People's Peace

The Middle East has 10 percent of the planet's land and 5 percent of its population, but it contains less than 1 percent of the world's freshwater resources. Thirteen of the twenty-two members of the Arab League rank among the world's most water-scarce nations. The effects of climate change, water shortages, and resulting migrations of people could result in an acute problem of food scarcity across the region. As outbreaks of the Arab Spring showed, a shortfall of food and a rise in the prices of staple items can have a devastating impact on the stability of the entire region. The history of humankind is replete with instances of savage conflict; however, there are also numerous instances when people have cooperated with each other to achieve tasks of expansive scope. The essay describes both the dire state of water resources in the region and avenues for using water for regional cooperation.

Micro-Macro Algal Mixture as a Promising Agent for Treating POME Discharge and its Potential Use as Animal Feed Stock Enhancer

Algae are well known photosynthetic organisms that are able to grow at various environmental conditions. Microalgae and macrophytes are two categories of algae generally having similar biological activities with several industrial advantages. In recent years, micro and macro algae have been increasingly used as animal fodder supplements for farm animals. The main aim of this study is to propose the micro and macroalgae obtained from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) waste water discharge as a promising low-cost-treatment and high-energy method for harvesting the nutritional supplements in order to enhance the animal feedstock production. The mixed micro and macro algal sample was collected from POME and Desa Bakti river. Then it was characterized for nutritional content as appropriate animal feed stock by diluting POME to various concentrations (0, 250, 500, 100 mg/L) in order to enhance their growth and to increase its nutritional value. It was found that a maximum of 23% COD reduction rate was obtained, while the COD concentration above 500 mg/L affected the growth of biomass. The potential use of algae as cheapest aquaculture diets can be considered to be as appropriate source for overcoming the problem of food scarcity and thereby minimizing the negative environmental impacts.

THE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND NEW BRAND MANAGEMENT POLICIES OF ORGANIC FOOD IN ITALY: THE CASE STUDY OF “VIVI VERDE COOP”

Due to economic growth, social, cultural and demographic changes lead to changes on food production patterns. Increased instruction levels, strong urbanization and consequent depopulation of rural areas, increased number of working women, increased wealth of families, growth and differentiation of food demand led to deep innovations in consumers priorities and choices. It means that consumption behaviors are now more focused on food safety (search for secure, healthy and even biological food) rather than food security (the problem of food scarcity no longer affects the developed countries). Food producers and distributors, in particular large scale distribution, gradually adapted their strategies to meet the emerging consumers’ preferences. In this paper we analyze the brand management strategy “ViviVerde” pursued by Coop and, also we perfom an analysis of the demand elasticity of the food products sold with the ViviVerde label (eggs, milk, fresh cheese, pasta, fruit juices) from de period of January 2010 to May 2012 in the Italian Province of Bologna. The conclusions are that economic performance of a line of products of the ViviVerde Coop, that clearly pursues the Corporate Social Responsibility objectives, is positive and increasing. It demonstrates that those kinds of brand management strategies can be successful.

Meeting Report of the National Symposium on “Advances in Transgenic Technology and Its Impact on the National Economy” held 23rd April 2010 at Allahabad, UP, India

The National Symposium on ‘‘Advances in Transgenic Technology and its Impact on National Economy’’, stressed the importance of transgenic technology for overcoming the growing problem of food scarcity. The intention was for participants to consider the application of transgenic technology outside their own specific field of research, and examine the different attitudes, demands, questions and challenges of transgenic development in India. Besides highlighting the newest scientific developments the presentations focused on commercial and legal aspects of transgenic technology. The controversy attached to genetically engineered food and cloned organisms has led to much discussion within the scientific community and the public on how these advances impact the food supply, Medicare, legal system, our economy—our daily lives. Although transgenic research will have a bearing on many disciplines, forums where a diverse range of experts from the various stakeholder communities are rare and across these disciples there is limited exchange of their research results, ideas or questions. The brain storming symposium was opened by the Honourable Vice Chancellor (RBL co-author) of the host venue SHIATS and set the stage by describing animal biotechnology as an ancient human activity. The first session started with a talk by Ashok Pandey (National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, CSIR) on the topic ‘‘GE crops: Status and Perspectives—What is good for India’’. He highlighted the relevance of biotechnological tools to meet the demands of the escalating world population. Based on the statistics of the WHO, by the year 2050 there should be a three times increase in food productivity to feed the growing population. The global agricultural growth had decreased from 3% in 1960 to 2% in 2003. Even though conventional breeding and good farm practices have been employed for increasing crop productivity it is still unable to meet the current food demand. The increasing population of the country has to rely on a small percentage of farmland for its food supply, a major problem that will increase in the future. Pandey deliberated on a range of significant issues such as, How to produce and store the quantity of food the world requires today and would require in near future?; the potential benefits of genetically engineered (GE) crops; Social and environmental issues related with GE crops and; the status of GE crop grown in India. Emphasized that even with good M. Devasahayam E. P. Koshy V. K. Morya Jacob School of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, SHIATS, Allahabad, UP 211007, India